Lid for beverage container with sauce compartment

ABSTRACT

A lid for a beverage container, comprising: a container attachment portion for removable association with the rim of an associated liquid container in a snug liquid-tight relation, an annular cover panel portion extending radially inwardly from the container attachment portion, an opening in the annular cover panel portion to permit insertion of straw while the container attachment portion is attached to an associated container, and a sauce compartment in the annular cover panel portion to provide an vacant area for sauce, said sauce compartment is sunken-in from the annular cover panel portion.  
     The present invention combines a sauce container with a beverage lid and utilizing the lid&#39;s top surface as a sauce compartment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is claiming the benefit of the filing of the provisional application, (Application No. 60/411,087) which filed on Sep. 16, 2002 by Young Gul Yoon (applicant). The title of invention was Lid For Beverage Container With Sauce Compartment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to lid for beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In the fast food industry, a value meal that combines a sandwich, a soft drink, and the french fries is popular. Conventionally, there was a separate container for sauce such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, or hot sauce. The container for sauce is usually made out of paper or plastic. When the customer is using a drive-thur window of fast food restaurant, the fast food restaurant provides the pre-packaged ketchup or the pre-packaged sauce. Using the small sauce container or pre-packaged sauce for the french fries or the nuggets are cumbersome and can be messy while driving a car and trying to dip the sauce. The present invention solves the above problem by providing a sauce compartment on the top of the beverage lid, because most of current car is equipped with the cup holder. The present invention can be used for dine-in and eliminate the separate sauce container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a lid for beverage container with sauce compartment. The present invention combines a sauce container with a beverage lid and utilizing the lid's top surface as the sauce compartment.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, the lid for beverage container provides a space to carrying a pre-packaged sauce (e.q. nugget sauce, ketchup) container.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lid for beverage container contains two straw holes with a sauce compartment. For this illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a couple can share a beverage.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lid for beverage container provides a pre-packaged sauce (e.q. nugget sauce, ketchup) with a cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a sauce compartment below the top surface of the lid;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a sauce compartment above the top surface of the lid;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a doughnut shape sauce compartment;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a removable sauce carrying space;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a pre-packaged sauce below the top surface of the lid;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a pre-packaged sauce above the top surface of the lid;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a pre-packaged doughnut shape sauce;

[0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a heart shape sauce compartment;

[0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a letter B shape sauce compartment;

[0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a star shape sauce compartment;

[0018]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a letter B shape sauce compartment with two straw holes;

[0019]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a sauce compartment in the middle with two straw holes;

[0020]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a right triangle shape sauce compartment;

[0021]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a semi-circle shape sauce compartment; and

[0022]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a raised sauce compartment above a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a lid for beverage container with sauce compartment. The present invention combines a sauce container with a beverage lid and utilizing the lid's top surface as the sauce compartment.

[0024] The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a lid for a beverage container, comprising: a container attachment portion for removable association with the rim of an associated liquid container in a snug, liquid-tight relation, an annular cover panel portion extending radially inwardly from the container attachment portion, an opening in the annular cover panel portion to permit insertion of straw while the container attachment portion is attached to an associated container, and a sauce compartment in the annular cover panel portion to provide an vacant area for sauce, said sauce compartment is sunken-in from the annular cover panel portion.

[0025]FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a sauce compartment 6 below the top surface of the lid. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and a U shape sauce compartment 6. The user can pour the ketchup or sauces in the sauce compartment 6 of lid.

[0026]FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having sauce compartment 8 above the top surface of the lid. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and a U shape sauce compartment 8.

[0027]FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a doughnut shape sauce compartment 10. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 in the middle and a doughnut shape sauce compartment 10.

[0028]FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a removable sauce carrying space 12. The pre-packaged sauce 14 such as the chicken nugget sauce or ketchup can be placed in the removable sauce carrying space 12. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and a removable sauce carrying space 12. A sauce carrying space 12 provides an vacant area for a pre-packaged sauce 14 and the sauce carrying space in a snug relation with the pre-packaged sauce 14.

[0029]FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a pre-packaged sauce 16 below the top surface of the lid. The lid 2 contains the sauce 16 and packaged with a cover 18 and a straw hole 4. The examples of sauce are ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweet and sour sauce, mustard sauce, hot sauce but not limited to above examples. The pre-packaged space can be used to hold the additive such as sugar, salt, cream, and etc to improve, strength or alter the beverage such as coffee, cocoa and etc. The list of above additives are illustrative purpose and not limited to the examples. The list of sauce examples are merely for illustrative purpose as well. The pre-packaged space can be used to hold the food such as jam, cereal, chocolate, honey and etc to be used with the meal combo. The list of above foods are illustrative purpose and not limited to the examples.

[0030]FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a pre-packaged sauce 16 above the top surface of the lid. The lid 2 contains the sauce 16 such as ketchup and packaged with a cover 18 and a straw hole 4.

[0031]FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a pre-packaged doughnut shape sauce 10. The lid 2 contains the sauce 16 such as ketchup and packaged with a cover 20 and a straw hole 4 in the middle.

[0032]FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a heart shape sauce compartment 22. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and the heart shape sauce compartment 22.

[0033]FIG. 9 depicts a perspective view of the lid 4 for a beverage container having a letter B shape sauce compartment 24. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and the letter B shape sauce compartment 24.

[0034]FIG. 10 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a star shape sauce compartment 26. The beverage lid 2 contains a straw hole 4 and the star shape sauce compartment 26.

[0035]FIG. 11 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a letter B shape sauce compartment 24 with two straw holes. The beverage lid 2 contains a first straw hole 4, a second straw hole 5, and the letter B shape sauce compartment 24. For this illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a couple can share a beverage and a sauce.

[0036]FIG. 12 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a sauce compartment 28 in the middle with two straw holes. The beverage lid 2 contains a first straw hole 4, a second straw hole 5, and the sauce compartment 28 in the middle. For this illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a couple can share a beverage and a sauce.

[0037]FIG. 13 depicts a perspective view of the lid for a beverage container having a right triangle shape (in vertical view) sauce compartment 30. This illustrative embodiment of the present invention shows a lid having a sauce compartment 30 in a semi-circle shape (top-down view) and sunken-in starts gradually from middle the circle and gets deeper as reaching the side of the circle. For this illustrative embodiment of the present invention allows the user to more easily control the amount of ketchup he or she wants on french fries.

[0038]FIG. 14 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a semi-circle shape (vertical view) sauce compartment 32. This illustrative embodiment of the present invention shows a lid having a compartment in a circle shape (top-down view) and sunken-in starts gradually from the outer area of circle and gets deeper as reaching the middle of the circle. This allows the user to more easily control the amount of sauce he or she wants.

[0039]FIG. 15 depicts a perspective view of the lid 2 for a beverage container having a raised sauce compartment 34 above a container. This allows the a lid having a sauce compartment without sacrificing beverage space. Previous embodiment of invention might press the beverage then cause leakage or spilling because the sauce compartment area is below the surface of the lid. This problem can be solved by raising the sauce compartment to be located above the lid and utilize the full beverage area. The benefit of this embodiment prevents the leakage or spilling of beverage when a container is full.

[0040] It will thus be seen that the invention attains the objectives stated in the previous description. Since certain changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a literal sense. Practitioners of the art will realize that the sauce compartment shapes depicted in the figures may be altered without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the illustrations contained herein are some examples of a multitude of possible depictions of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A lid for a beverage container, comprising: a container attachment portion for removable association with the rim of an associated liquid container in a snug, liquid-tight relation, an annular cover panel portion extending radially inwardly from the container attachment portion, an opening in the annular cover panel portion to permit insertion of straw while the container attachment portion is attached to an associated container, and a sauce compartment in the annular cover panel portion to provide an vacant area for sauce, said sauce compartment is sunken-in from the annular cover panel portion.
 2. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a U-shape and sunken-in vertically from the annular cover panel portion.
 3. The lid of claim 1 wherein said opening area for straw is raised from the annular cover panel portion.
 4. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a donut shape and sunken-in vertically from the annular cover panel portion with the centrally-located opening for straw that raised from the annular cover panel portion.
 5. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a heart shape and sunken-in vertically from the annular cover panel portion with the opening for straw located near top of the heart shape sauce compartment.
 6. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a B-shape and sunken-in vertically from the annular cover panel portion.
 7. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a star shape and sunken-in vertically from the annular cover panel portion.
 8. The lid of claim 1 where said annular cover panel portion having two openings for straw.
 9. The lid of claim 1 where said annular cover panel portion is raised up to where bottom portion of the sauce compartment is horizontally parallel to top of the container.
 10. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a semi-circle shape and sunken-in starts gradually from middle the circle and gets deeper as reaching the side of the circle.
 11. The lid of claim 1 wherein said sauce compartment is a circle shape and sunken-in starts gradually from the outer area of circle and gets deeper as reaching the middle of the circle.
 12. A lid for a beverage container, comprising: a container attachment portion for removable association with the rim of an associated liquid container in a snug, liquid-tight relation, an annular cover panel portion extending radially inwardly from the container attachment portion, an opening in the annular cover panel portion to permit insertion of straw while the container attachment portion is attached to an associated container, and a sauce compartment in the annular cover panel portion to provide an vacant area for a pre-packaged sauce, said sauce compartment in a snug relation with the pre-packaged sauce.
 13. The lid of claim 12 wherein said opening area for straw is raised from the annular cover panel portion.
 14. The lid of claim 12 where said annular cover panel portion having two openings for straw.
 15. The lid of claim 12 where said annular cover panel portion is raised up to where bottom portion of the sauce compartment is horizontally parallel to top of the container in order to prevent a leakage of beverage when the sauce compartment portion is pressing the beverage in the container.
 16. A lid for a beverage container, comprising: a container attachment portion for removable association with the rim of an associated liquid container in a snug, liquid-tight relation, an annular cover panel portion extending radially inwardly from the container attachment portion, an opening in the annular cover panel portion to permit insertion of straw while the container attachment portion is attached to an associated container, and a sauce compartment in the annular cover panel portion to provide a pre-packaged sauce with a cover.
 17. The lid of claim 16 wherein said opening area for straw is raised from the annular cover panel portion.
 18. The lid of claim 16 where said annular cover panel portion having two openings for straw.
 19. The lid of claim 16 where said annular cover panel portion is raised up to where bottom portion of the sauce compartment is horizontally parallel to top of the container in order to prevent a leakage of beverage when the sauce compartment portion is pressing the beverage in the container. 